corpuscle

(kôrpus′əl, -pə səl)

noun

  1. a very small particle
  2. Anat. a protoplasmic particle or cell with a special function; esp., any of the erythrocytes (red corpuscles) or leukocytes (white corpuscles) that float in the blood, lymph, etc. of vertebrates

Origin: L corpusculum, dim. of corpus: see corpus

Related Forms:

See corpuscle in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. a. An unattached body cell, such as a blood or lymph cell.
    b. A rounded globular mass of cells, such as the pressure receptor on certain nerve endings.
  2. A discrete particle, such as a photon or an electron.
  3. A minute globular particle.

Origin:

Origin: Latin corpusculum

Origin: , diminutive of corpus, body; see kwrep- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • cor·pusˈcu·lar (kôr-pŭsˈkyə-lər) adjective

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